The Mating Game: Big Bad Wolf by Georgette St. Clair Page A

of weird about it. Daisy was starting to suspect that since Larissa could never seem to get a guy to stick around, she resented it when anybody else was happy. Or at least specifically when Daisy was happy. Larissa pretty much ignored Cadence and her dating life – maybe because Cadence had flat-out declared that she had no intention of settling down, ever.
    They headed for a high-top table and settled in as Ryker returned with a tray of margaritas, chips and salsa.
    Cadence deliberately sat across from Larissa. She had a frown pinching her brows together, and she kept shooting Larissa dirty looks. The conversation was awkward and strained. Finally, Daisy grabbed Cadence. Larissa stood up, but Daisy shook her head. “I need to talk to her for a minute,” she said, and left Larissa at the table, pouting.
    “Cadence, what’s up?” she asked. “Why are you mad at Larissa?”
    “Other than the fact that she’s Larissa?”
    “Yes. She’s been Larissa for the entire five months that we’ve lived together. Why are you particularly mad at her now?”
    Cadence glanced around. “Well…okay, I didn’t know if I should tell you this or not. The other day I got out of work early. I went to this park on the north side of town to do some sketching, and I saw Larissa there…with Ronald. Your Ronald.”
    Ronald was the jerk who’d dated her for several weeks and then told her he wanted to have sex with her because he’d never been with a heavy woman before.
    “Don’t call him my Ronald,” Daisy said with a shudder. “Wow. Ronald. Are you sure?”
    “Totally sure,” Cadence said. “They were standing by a tree, talking to each other. It was getting pretty intense.”
    Daisy winced. “Well…I mean, it’s not like I ever wanted to see him again. I guess I can’t be annoyed about the two of them getting together. Nauseated, yes. Annoyed, no.”
    “But he was a total douchenozzle to you,” Cadence said indignantly. “She’s being a really suck friend if she’s associating with him.”
    “Yeah, I mean…it’s kind of a jerk move on her part. But you guys are basically stuck living together until the lease is up, so I’d hate to see you both be miserable,” Daisy said.
    “Don’t worry about me,” Cadence said with a shrug. “I just ignore her. So, what about you and Ryker? Have you decided if you want to make the mating permanent?”
    “Permanent?” Daisy said, startled. “I…honestly, I don’t know. Maybe that’s not what he’d want.”
    “Stop selling yourself short,” Cadence said. “He’d be lucky to have you.”
    “That’s what my aunt says,” Daisy mused.
    “She has the wisdoms. Listen to her,” Cadence advised.
    She glanced over at the table – to see that Larissa had left and was heading for the door, and Ryker was fending off autograph seekers..
    “Well, now the night’s looking up,” Cadence said cheerfully.
    * * * * *
    “So your idea of a good time is…painting the kitchen walls?” Ryker said doubtfully.
    There was a patch of peeling paint on the wall by the refrigerator that had been driving Daisy crazy.
    The truth was, however, the real reason that she wanted to paint was to distract herself. She was petrified of making a fool of herself with Ryker. She was mildly tipsy from the margaritas, and the more she got to know Ryker, the more attracted to him she was, but he still had her completely confused.
    He hadn’t said anything about wanting her to stay there for good. And she couldn’t forget when they’d been interrupted kissing – and he’d declined to kiss her again afterwards.
    But then he’d taken her down to the family swimming hole and pulled her to him and kissed her.
    What did he want? What would happen if she gave in to her impulses and threw her arms around him and pulled his hard, strong body up against hers?
    She was too afraid to find out. So she was painting.
    “I am passionate about painting,” she said firmly.
    “Painting, huh? That’s what gets